Expansion-shell



J. H. PHILLIPS.

EXPANSION SHELL. APPLlcAioN man 1uNE1s. 1920.

1,392,703., Patented oet. 4, 1921.

6g t i :l All.,

@fifa/617%? ZM 'J JOHN H. PHILLIPS, OF-CHIGAGO, ILLINOIS.

EXPANSION-SHELL.

vSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented @et 4l, 192i.,

Application filed Enne 18, 1320. Serial No. 389,891.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, JOHN H. PHILLIPS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Expansion-Shells, of which the following is a description.

My invention belongs to that general class of devices known as expansionshells, and relates particularly to a shell which may be employed todrill its own hole in concrete, brick, stone, or like material, and thenbe utilized for fastening and holding various devices and mechanisms tosaid material.

Anchor or expansion shells are largely used on walls, ceilings andiloors of concrete, brick or stone, for the support of pipe and wiresystems and mechanical, electrical and other equipment, etc. Myinvention has among its objects the production of an expansion shell ofthe kind describedithat is simple, convenient, efficient, reliable,Vdurable, inexpensive and suitable for use wherever found applicable. Ithas particularly among its further objects a shell which may be placedin a suitable chuck of a percussion or rotary type tool, and employed todrill the hole in which the shell is placed, and the chuck be :thenremoved and the shell expanded so that it is securely and firmly and toall intents and purposes permanently retained in place for the purposeof carrying such devices or equipment vas may be found desirable. It hasparticularly as anobject the production of a shell which being employedto drill the hole in which it is to be seated insures the securing of ahole of the right size and depth into which the shell will iit perfectlyand in a most workmanlike manner.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction,varrangement and combiiivation of parts herein shown and described andmore particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts,

Figure l is a sectional view through one form of my improved shell;

Fig. 2 is a similar-.view of another form;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of another form;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken'substantially on line 6 6 of Fig. 3;

Fig. is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating anotherform ofthe device;

Fig. 8 is a similar view illustrating another form Fig. 9 is a similarview illustrating another form of the device; and

Fig. l0 is a similar view illustrating still another orm.-

*Referring to the drawings, particularly Figs. l and 4, l represents atubular shell of the desired number of parts, as shown, one part ofwhich may be slit as indicated at 2, so that the same may be expanded inits proper hole. The shell is provided with cutting faces or teeth 3 atthe inner end, and constructed at the opposite end to engage inasuitable chuck. As shown, the same is tapered as at 4 so as to tit intothe coperating chuck part, and the same may also be provided with a hole5 in which a tool may be inserted to assist in releasing the same fromthe chuck, as well as to provide means for attaching a coperating part.After the shell has been employed as a drill to drill its own hole, thechuck is removed and a plug 6 preferably of soft metal, for example,lead or the equivalent, is driven into the shell, and the same beingupset, causes the shell to be expanded, so that the same engages thewalls of the hole and is retained in place.

rlhe upsetting of the plug expands the inner Y end of the shell, so thatit is wedged or locked in place. After the same has been placed, thehanger may be inserted in the shell or about the same, and a pin orequivalent member inserted through the hole 5 and the hole in the hangerso that the hanger will be supported or the hanger may be constructed toengage in a pass through the holes. Any device to be supported may be soattached to the shell.

The type of shell shown in Fig. 2, as well as Fig. 5, is the equivalent,except that in this case the same is made 'in two or more parts 1l. Asshown, the same consists of two parts divided as indicated at 12, 13begil ico

ing the cutting end of suitable form. In this particular case a slightlydifferent style chuck may be employed which will engage and abut againstthe end 14n/of the shell and drive the same into the material.

In this type I have shown holes or openings l5 and cut out portions,- asindicated at 17.l This device is particularly suitable for a flathanger, it being understood, however, that the types of shells shown maybe constructed in a similar manner in so far as the cut out portion 17,so as to make them adaptedto a fiat hanger.

In the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 6the shell is constructed ofone part 21, but the same may be preferably slotted as at 22, or in anequivalent manner, on the inner end, so as to permit the expansionthereat.

The same has the teeth 23. I have shown the outer end threaded as at 24,so that a hanger or the like may be attached thereto without anyadditional fastening means. This device may be expanded by means of aplug similar to 6, as previously described. The construction shown inFig. 7 is substantially similar, except that in this case the shell 25.,which is slotted as at 26 and formed with cutting edges or faces 27, isinternally threaded as at 28, in this case the hanger or the equivalentengaging on the interior. An expanded plug similar to that 'describedmay be employed.

In the construction shown in Fig. 8, 31 represents the shell of one ormore parts, 32 the plug, and 33 the cutting face or edges. In this casean elongated opening 34 is provided through which a wire tie or theequivalent may be inserted. Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate what may be termeda iiush pattern, the construction being suchthat the outer end is flushwith the face of the material when the shell is in place. Referring toFig. 9, 35 represents the shell constructed similar to any of the shellspreviously described, and provided with a cutting end 36 of suitableform. The same may be internally threaded aS at 37 for engagement with ahanger or the equivelent. The plug 38 mav be driven in place aspreviously described. In Fig. 10, 39 represents a shell preferablysimilar to that shown in Fig. 7, with one or more slots 40, cutting end4l and thread 42. This parti'cular form is also a iiush type. Obviouslythe outer surface of the shell may be corrugated or roughened ifdesired.

It will be obvious that thevarious different features combined in theseveral figures may be combined as desired. I have not considered itnecessary to illustrate the chuck, by means of which the device isseated, this being described in my application, Serial Number 361,903,filed February 7 1920. It will be noted -that the device issubstantially a self-drilling expansion shell,which is especiallyapplicable for fastening 'variouls devices' to concrete ceilings and thelike, requiring the use of round and flat hangers, wire ties, bolt andscrew connections, etc. In usingy the device, the shell is placed in thechuck and held firmly against the material to be drilled. The cuttingedges or teeth may be brought to different points in the work by aslight back and forth rotary motion while the hammer or tool isoperating, thus altering the position of the cutting edges for eachblow. The slight rotary movement is more desirable in the case of thelarger sizes, where the pitch ofthe teeth is greater. In the smallersize having finer pitch, the jump or vibration from the blow of thehammer is suiiicient to break olf thev material between the cuttingpoints, permitting the shell to be driven straight in, under repeatedblows of the hammer. As the work progresses the center or corecorresponding to the bore of the shell breaks 0EV into short pieces, andtogether with the cuttings, falls down through the shell and out of thechuck. When the hole is drilled to the desired depth, the'chuck isremoved, leaving the shell in the hole. A plug is then inserted in theshell the same as previously mentioned, being preferably of a fairlysoft material, for example, lead or the like, and the same driven in.The driving in of the plug causes the same to be upset, expanding it andat the same time expanding the inner end of the shell in thehole,thereby causing the same to be.firmly and securely locked in place. Toall intents and purposes the same becomes substantially a permanent partof the wall, ceiling or the like to which the various devices, or otherequipment, may be secured by means of bars, hangers, pins, bolts, nuts,or the equivalent. The device has many advantages in that it is notnecessary to provide extra drills, as 'each shell may be employed todrill its own hole. The

shells may be manufactured at comparaserve the purpose. They may beconstructed in any suitable manner, of one or more parts as described,and after forming may be case-hardened or otherwise treated so as toincrease' their durability. Among the decided advantages of theself-drilling expansion shell over the non-drilling shell is the perfectfit of the shell in its own hole, thereby requiring less expansion andpermitting more acute taper of the wedging member, and correspondinglymore powerful eXpansion than is possible with cast shells requiringgreater expansion in order to accommodate the various variations in thesize of the holes resulting from the use of separate drills.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious .that variousimmaterial modifica-- lll anaemia What I claim as new and desire tosecure vby Letters Patent is:

1. An expansion shell of the kind described comprising a tubular bodyarranged forexpansion at one end, and an expandlng plug of ductilematerial of a size to enter the bore of the body.

2. An expansion shell of the kind described comprising a tubular bodyarranged for expansion at one end and having cutting faces at said end,and constructed at the opposite end to enga e a coperating chuck, and anexpanding p terial of a size to enter the bore of the body.

3. In a' device of the k'md described and in combination, an expansionshell consisting of atubular body constructed at one end for expansion,and arranged at the other end for engagement with a suitable chuck, `andhaving an opening through the body extending from end to end and a plugof ductile material arrangedin the shell, said plug of a size to beinserted in the otubular opening through the shell whereby the same maybe upset to expand the inner end of the shell.

4. A combined expansion shell and drill consisting of a tubular bodyopen from end to end, one end arranged to engage a suitable chuck andthey other end arranged for expansion and provided with cutting .meansat spirit of my invention;`

ug of ductile masaid last mentioned end whereby the shell may beemployed to drill its own hole and be expanded therein without theremoval of lthe shell from the hole, and an expanding plug of a size tofit said said last mentioned end.

5. A combined expansion shell and drill consisting of a tubular bodyopen from end to end, one end arranged to engage a suitable chuck andthe other end arranged for expansion and provided with cutting means atsaid last mentioned end whereby the shell may be employed to drill itsown hole and be expanded therein without the removal of the shell, and aplug of ductile material of a -size to fit said tubular bore.

6. An expansion shell of the kind described comprising a tubular bodyarran ed for expansion at one end, and an expansion- 'plu of ductilematerial thegb ore of the body and of a length to be completely insertedtherein.

An expansion shell of the kind described comprising a tubular body arraned for expansion at one end, and an expanslon plug of ductile materialof a size to enter the bore of the body, said shell being arranged forengagement with coperating fastening devices.

In testimonyv whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. PHILLIPS. Witnesses:

ROY W. HILL,

BERTHA HARTMANN.

tubular bore at of a size to enter

